All About Apples:

Apples came to North America when European settlers brought apple trees with them and planted them in their new homeland.  These trees cross pollinated with native crab apple trees which created some unique varieties for North America.  Now there are over 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States.

Apples are very nutritious.  They are high in soluble fiber, which helps to reduce cholesterol levels.  They contain flavinoids, which reduce the risk of cancer; and they are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid.

So what's our best apple?  You will get a different answer depending on who you ask! It's really a personal preference.  Apples have a wide variety of flavor.

Not sure if you like sweet or tart, soft or hard, yellow or red? No problem, we’d be happy to supply you with a sample.

What’s Karen’s favorite apple? It’s a tie between Gala, Jonagold, and Fuji. What’s Dan’s favorite apple? Any kind that Karen cooks into apple crisp! 

Need some help choosing?  See our "common questions" below or simply ask one of us at the stand.  We'd be more than happy to help you!

• Cameo – Medium to large size. Crisp, creamy white flesh. Tangy flavor that gets better while in storage.  Harvested mid October.
• Cortland - Red, very large, pure white flesh.  Flesh stays white longer than many other apples.
  
• Empire – Juicy and crisp with a blend of sweet and tart flavor.  Good for fresh eating and cooking.  Also good for candy and caramel apples.  A cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious.  Longer storage life than McIntosh.  Harvested in Late September to October.
  
• Fuji – One of our absolute favorites! Big, Crisp, and sweet.  Very firm.  Juice slightly subacid. Outstanding texture. Stores extremely well – and gets sweeter as it stores. Harvested in late October.
  
• Gala – Very pretty, medium sized apple. One of our most popular.  Fine textured with a mildly sweet flavor. Excellent for fresh eating. First picking around Labor Day.
  
• Ginger Gold – Sweet, spicy taste with a light texture and a pleasant crunch. Good for fresh eating and apple sauce. Keeps up to 6 months in storage. First picking in mid August.
  
• Golden Delicious – Fine textured, sweet, and juicy with a mild flavor and thin skin. The most popular yellow apple.  Good for fresh eating, baking, sauce, and dried apples. This apple is a great choice for any use.  Harvested in early October.
• Granny Smith - Green tart apple.  Harvested in early November.  Storage life similar to Fuji.  Used for baking.
• Honey Crisp - Sweet, crisp, juicy apple.  Extremely popular.  Cross of Macoun and Honeygold.  A new apple, first introduced in 1991 at the University of Minnesota.  Good for baking and eating.  Harvested in September.
  
• Jonagold – Highest sugar of any apple with perfect balance of acidity makes this a delicious choice. Juicy, crisp, and often very large. Brings great flavor to many dishes. Cross between a Jonathan and Golden Delicious.  Harvested in mid-September to late October.
  
• Jonathan – Pretty apple, good for snacking, salads, and cooking. Somewhat tart. Good blending quality for apple cider.  Harvested mid September.
• Jonamac - Cross of Jonathan and McIntosh.  Medium in size.  Firm, crisp.
• Lodi - Early apple, tender, juicy.  Available mid July.
  
• McIntosh – Slightly tart and juicy white flesh. Good for fresh eating, salads, and sauce. Slices loose shape when baked. Harvested mid September.
  
• Mutsu – Also known as Crispin. Good eating apple, sweet and juicy, firm texture. Good for cider and sauce. Large apple.  Harvested in October.
• Nittany - Developed by Penn Sate.  It is similar to York Apples.  Stores well.  Harvested in late September.
• Pink Lady - Crisp with a sweet-tart flavor.  Beautiful pink blush skin.  Stores well.  Harvested in late October/Early November.
  
• Red Delicious – Most purchased apple variety in the U.S. Coarse textured, firm, and sweet. Not recommended for baking. Good for fresh eating, salads, and dried apples. One of the best keeping apples.  Harvested in late September – October.
  
• Rome – Very round, medium to very large. Slightly tart.  Good for baking and drying. Not considered a good eating apple due to dry flesh. Keeps well.  Harvested in late September – October.
  
• Stayman – Also known as Stayman-Winesap.  Firm apple, juicy, rich flavor. Mildly tart.  Harvested mid October.
  
• Summer Rambo – Exceptionally juicy. Crisp. Mostly used for cooking.  Greenish-Red Apple.  Harvested in August.
  
• Yellow Transparent - Early yellow apple.  Early July.  Tender, juicy.  Excellent flavor for sauce.  Does not store well. Available mid July.
• York - Crisp, firm, and tart.  Good for snacking and cooking.
• Zestar! - Crisp, blend of sweet and tart flavors, excellent for fresh eating and cooking.  Available early to mid August.

COMMON APPLE QUESTIONS:

1. I want to make applesauce.  How many apples should I buy?
A half bushel will make 8-10 quarts of applesauce.


2. I've never made applesauce.  Is it hard to do?  Not at all.  Wash the apples, chunk the apples, and put them in a large stock pot.  Add a couple of inches of water and cook on med-high , stirring frequently, until you have the desired consistency.  We use a "Tomato Sauce Maker and Food Strainer" to remove the skins, stems, and seeds.  If you do not have one, you can purchase one at the stand or remove the skins, stems, and seeds before you cook the apples.
  If you prefer an exact recipe, we have one on our recipe page.


3. What apples should I use to make my applesauce?  This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions and it is really a matter of personal taste.  Any apple can be cooked down - some are not recommended because they take a much longer time to cook.  The most popular varieties used are Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Summer Rambo, Jonagold, Jonathan (makes a pink sauce), McIntosh, and Yellow Transparent.  A number of people like to mix the varieties.



4. Do I need to add sugar to my applesauce?  No.  Especially if you start with a sweet apple.  We often use Ginger Gold or Golden Delicious and no sugar is needed.
   But if you prefer a tarter apple, you will most likely want to add sugar.


5. How long can apples be stored? Store your apples in your refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag or container to prevent them from drying out. You can add a couple of tablespoons of water to help the humidity stay high. Most apples kept this way will be good until Christmas. Summer apples, such as Lodi, Transparent, and Summer Rambo, are not good keepers. Some apples are excellent keepers, such as Fuji or Red Delicious, and will last much longer than Christmas.  We have successfully kept Fuji until late July by keeping them in a regular refrigerator.
  A general rule of thumb is the later the variety, the longer amount of time it will keep.


6. What kind of apple do you recommend for pies? This is another frequently asked question about apples and one that I hesitate to answer because we all have very different personal tastes.  Are you looking for a hard or soft apple?  Sweet or Tart?  Our family tends to go with hard and sweet, making Fuji one of our favorites, but we also love soft and sweet Golden Delicious and Jonagold in pies as well.  Many bakers prefer a tarter apple to balance out the flavor of the pie, such as Cortland, Granny Smith, Mutsu, Rome, and Stayman.... So... Experiment and find your personal favorite!
   
   
7. Can Cider be frozen? Yes, up to a year.  Be sure to remove 1-2 cups from each gallon before freezing.
   
   
8. Is there any truth to the saying "all it takes is one bad apple?" Yes, there is.  When an apple is damaged, it emits ethylene gas, which will cause the other apples to ripen too fast.

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